RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Preliminary experience with MR-guided thermal ablation of brain tumors.
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 39
OP 48
VO 16
IS 1
A1 Y Anzai
A1 R Lufkin
A1 A DeSalles
A1 D R Hamilton
A1 K Farahani
A1 K L Black
YR 1995
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/16/1/39.abstract
AB PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility of a technique of MR-guided stereotactic radio frequency ablation, which was developed as a minimally invasive treatment for brain tumors, and to determine MR characteristics and sequential evolution of radio frequency lesions created to ablate brain tumors. METHODS Fourteen lesions in 12 patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors were treated with this technique and followed for up to 10 months. The stereotactic coordinates of the tumor and the angle of the radio frequency probe were calculated on MR imaging. The radio frequency lesion was generated in the awake patient by increasing the temperature to 80 degrees C within the tumor for 1 minute. This was repeated until the entire tumor volume was destroyed. MR imaging was performed before, during, and immediately after the radio frequency procedure, and sequential MR was obtained during clinical follow-up. RESULTS MR imaging clearly showed well-defined radio frequency lesions and provided feedback for treatment planning. The radio frequency lesion boundary was well identified as a dark signal rim on T2-weighted images and showed ring enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. The sequential MR imaging showed the radio frequency lesions decreased in volume in all cases, suggesting focal control. CONCLUSION Stereotactic MR-guided radio frequency brain tumor ablation is a feasible and promising technique that can be an attractive brain tumor treatment alternative. MR provided not only accurate tumor location but also visualization of feedback of thermal tissue changes that reflected therapeutic effect.